


This Sweet Plague

by lanyon



Category: In the Flesh (TV)
Genre: Doctor/Patient Relationship (Implied), Impaired Consent, Medical Ethics (or Lack Thereof), Medical Procedures, Medical Trauma, Violence, documentary fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 11:44:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2810885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lanyon/pseuds/lanyon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The evolution of Partially Deceased Syndrome through the notes and articles of the doctors who treated them and, through blogs and newspapers of the time.</p><p> </p><p>  <span class="small">We, the undersigned, seek a waiver for the following proposed clinical trial [Neurotryptiline: its therapeutic and restorative effects amongst a Partially Diseased Syndrome cohort], citing the clinical condition of the study participants and the precedent that the need for ethical approval can be waived if study participants are deceased. </span></p><p> </p><p>  <span class="small"></span><br/><span class="u">Dr Victor Halperin</span><br/><span class="u">Dr John Weston</span><br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	This Sweet Plague

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sath](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sath/gifts).



> Happy Yuletide to **sath** , even if this is not the most _festive_ of stories. The request was absolutely brilliant and I thoroughly enjoyed writing it, so many thanks.  
>  **Warnings** as listed in the tags. There is gore, implied lack-of-consent and abuse of position and Victor Halperin's frankly creepy blog entries.

**Mail** Online  
 **BREAKING NEWS: END OF DAYS?**  
BY JOHN SMITH FOR MAILONLINE  
 **PUBLISHED:** 12:19 GMT, 14 June 2012 | **UPDATED:** 17:43 GMT, 14 June 2012

The Metropolitan Police Force, as well as every police force in the country, is reported as being in “crisis”. The Government has been slammed for its slow response to what is being touted as the end-times. Reports have come in from all over the globe of a rising. 

The only common feature is, of those monsters confidently identified by their loved ones, the year of death: 2009.

Lisa Jones (23) of Cardiff was visibly shaken when she described coming face to face with the ravaged, risen body of her grandmother. “Nan was a big part of our lives, growing up,” she sobbed. “And to see her turned into a monster has broken all our hearts.”

\--

subject name: simon monroe  
cause of death: multiple drug overdose  
current status: refractory to first line of treatment.  
physical examination: mild residual post mortem lividity; no evidence of rigidity, as has been an issue with other subjects. full range of movements, all four limbs moving equally. responsive to painful stimuli. cognition: impaired. most standard assessments are useless in this setting.

given the unorthodox nature of both subject and condition, maintenance of clinical notes must serve as an accurate record. there is no way to avoid observer effect and, to that end, i will do my utmost to be honest about my own emotions regarding this trial.

clinicians are strongly encouraged to disengage from subject emotions but it is apparent that this is an entirely unprecedented trial, in which subjects are incapable of informed consent. 

it raises the issue of humanity and, of course, the old adage primum non nocere. first, do no harm. is it even possible to harm the partially deceased?  
JW

\--

the **guardian**  
 **CHURCH LEADERS SPEAK OUT**  
“This is not God’s judgement,” says harried Archbishop. “But it is His call to prayer.”  
 **Christian Blake**  
 **The Guardian** , Thursday 19 June 2012 14:03 GMT

In a statement released by the office of the Church of England, it was stated that “use of the term “Rising” has unfortunate connotations for devout Christians, struggling with their faith at this time.”

The statement continues to request that the term “reanimation” be used. 

Fierce debate is on-going amongst Church leaders as to the nature of the returned and their status of beings with souls. 

\--

**DR FRANKENSTEIN’S BLOG**

23.05.2012  
There is beauty in decay  
And in the reversal of it  
God(s) and monsters  
(There is nothing like a monster’s love for its god unless it is the god’s love for his monster)

\--

the **bmj**  
June 2012: A Newly Described Entity From A Home Office Pathologist’s Perspective: Auto-Exhumation  
BMJ 2012; 9888 (Published 16 June 2012) Cite this as: BMJ 2014;9888:g///  
 _L De Ath, professor_  
 **Author affiliations ⋁**

Correspondance to: Prof. L De Ath  
 **Accepted:** June 01

It is, of course, every pathologist’s worst nightmare: the second autopsy. Generally, this requires, in the best case scenario, retrieval of a cadaver from the mortuary. In the worst case scenario, exhumation is required. In the majority of cases,1 the cause of death remains largely unchanged. 

Second autopsy following auto-exhumation has been unprecedented until this year.

In the incidence of the second death of an individual with a high clinical suspicion of Partially Deceased Syndrome (PDS), full precautions must be taken2. It is generally accepted that PDS is not transmissible but every case must be treated as high risk. 

The pathologist’s job is aided considerably by the first death certificate. In the case of a primary violent death (homicide, accidental, misadventure), a complete external examination must be carried out and correlated with primary autopsy findings. Secondary autopsy findings generally reveal a traumatic cause of death but features specific to auto-exhumation must be detailed.

\--

partiallydeceasedsyndromeisnotadisease  
 ****

What is Murder? >  
Or how I learned to stop worrying about defending my rights as a human being

Guys, this article is just so triggery, I don’t know where to start. I don’t want to, like, police anyone on the internet but I think this is justified, right? The writer, who’s anonymous, was a member of the HLA and, okay, I know there have been loads of problematic things about dealing with differently animated folks but this is just disgusting. I’ve reported it to abuse on the website and hope it’ll be taken down but it’s really gross. If you can, report the author and, remember! Take care of yourselves!  
#anti-pds for ts #hatred for ts

\--

subject name: simon monroe  
cause of death: multiple drug overdose  
current status: responsive to voice!

it is probably unprofessional to use exclamation marks in clinical notes but today has marked an exciting development. the subject has responded to a larger intrathecal dose of neurotryptiline. undoubtedly, this is an off-license use of the drug, not to mention an unorthodox route of delivery but the findings are undeniable.

w/in 30s of receiving the drug, coarse tremors were noted, which progressed to tonic-clonic seizures, duration: ~90s. 

seizures were self-limiting and, with resolution, came a marked improvement in the subject’s cognitive status. we believe the subject tried to communicate and facial expressions reminiscent of pain and confusion were observed [see video file sm09.13.893b]  
JW

\--

Transcript of Subject Interview

**JW:** How are you feeling today, Simon?

 **Sub. SM09:** [almost inaudible] I don’t know.

 **JW:** Do you understand the question?

 **Sub. SM09:** [pause] I… [pause] Yes?

 **JW:** It’s okay, Simon. You don’t have to push too hard. You’re making excellent progress. Your participation is going to make a huge difference to your kind.

 **VH:** John!

 **JW:** No, Victor. He needs to know that he’s not like us. He’s special. You’re special, Simon. You have given so much. We’re just asking for a little bit more.

 **Sub. SM09:** Will... [inaudible]

 **VH:** What was that, Simon?

 **Sub. SM09:** Will there be more electricity?

 **JW:** I’m afraid so, Simon. 

**Sub. SM09:** It… [pause] It hurts. 

**VH:** [inaudible] … good … [inaudible]

\--

****

STANDARD APPLICATION FORM  
For the Ethical Review of  
Health-Related Research  
directly related to  
Clinical Trials of Medicinal Products  
For Human Use 

We, the undersigned, seek a waiver for the following proposed clinical trial [Neurotryptiline: its therapeutic and restorative effects amongst a Partially Diseased Syndrome cohort], citing the clinical condition of the study participants and the precedent that the need for ethical approval can be waived if study participants are deceased.

Dr Victor Halperin  
Dr John Weston

\--

the **guardian**  
 **Comment Is Free >PDS**  
The Rise of Victus  
And how it affects my life with my husband, a Partially Deceased Syndrome sufferer  


* See also: Victus makes huge strides in local elections. 

In the interests of full disclosure, I was once a prime target for Victus’ politics. I wanted nothing to do with the monsters roaming our streets in bad makeup and uncanny contact lenses. I didn’t trust them. In fact, I hated them. That was until my husband came back from Afghanistan, with rather more staples across his torso than I was used to. He didn’t want to see me, at first, and I didn’t want to see him because we both thought he was a monster. 

He wasn’t. He was still the same man who married me, six months before he was deployed. It took a long time to get to know each other again. It took a long to trust that we were both the same. 

We started by dating which was pretty difficult, given how few non-segregated restaurants there were in Worcester. We used to get funny looks, whenever we held hands but we could handle the looks. We could even handle the vicious slurs and the graffiti on our front door.

The final straw, though, was when a Victus candidate called to the house, insisting that my husband sign up for the mandatory _Give Back_ Scheme.

What more could my husband give? He died for his country, after all, but Victus wants him, and everyone like him, to give more than their fair share. They want to define my husband as ‘other’ even though he was born, like them, and he went to the local grammar school and he signed up to the British Army just as soon as he was old enough. The only difference is that my husband has died and, through some miracle, he’s come back, and through the diligence of doctors like Victor Halperin and John Weston, he is, without a doubt, my husband again. 

My husband did not come back to me only to be forced into indentured servitude which, if the news reports are to believed, is the least that Victus has planned for him and people like him.

\--

subject name: simon monroe  
cause of death: multiple drug overdose  
current status: progress has been remarkable

physical examination: subject walks unaided. spinal surgical scar healing slowly+++  
psychosexual assessment: to follow. (i must note that stimulation of the central nervous system has a synergistic effect on the peripheral nervous system and autonomic responses. the subject appears unembarrassed) ~~the subject appears relieved that such bodily functions are not beyond his capability and looked at me as though--~~  
tests: 1) awake craniotomy with brain-mapping (see video file sm09.13.19032b; note subject’s response to specific audio-visual stimulus at 00:23:31)  
JW

\--  
http://www.royal.gov.uk/SP_MSG  
 **The Queen’s Christmas Day Message, 2012**

Earlier this year, we all watched in horror as loved ones were returned to us in the most traumatic of experiences. At this time of year, especially, I urge you all to practise peace and tolerance. At this time of year, I remind you that there is hope, thanks to the sterling work of English doctors, based in Norfolk-

\--

pdsisourapocalypse  
killallrotters

> my family have always supported the royal family but her speech was the worst :((( like daddy said, it’s easy for her to be calm, tucked away in balmoral. no chance of her coming back to london till all rotters are off the street.

i totally agree except haven’t you seen prince harry and prince william out and about in london? they’re in heavy combat gear, sure, but they’re THERE you know  
#rotter lovers #rotters

\--

 

subject name: simon monroe  
cause of death: multiple drug overdose  
current status: progress has been remarkable

psychological evaluation: poor rapport with father. this must be improved before we can discharge him.

\--

Nature. 2013 Jan 178;516888(7531):410-2343. doi: 100000003240v.1038/nature13178z096.  
[ _epub ahead of print_ ]  
 **The Role of Neurotryptiline in the Treatment of Partially Deceased Syndrome**  
Weston, J, Halperin, V  
 **Author information  
** Abstract Neurotryptiline is a hybrid derivative of third-line tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, combined with glycogen synthase kinase 3 inhibitors, known to promote neurogenesis in adult hippocampal cells. Its therapeutic use is limited amongst the living but it has been proven to be highly efficacious in the treatment of partially deceased syndrome.  
 **PMID: 21212314135519137**  
[PubMed - in process]

\--  
 **Mail** Online  
 **OPINION: LET THEM GO**  
BY JOHN SMITH FOR MAILONLINE  
 **PUBLISHED:** 12:19 GMT, 01 Feb 2013 | **UPDATED:** 17:43 GMT, 01 Feb 2013  
491, 348 people died in the UK in 2009. A significant proportion of these people, who _were_ people and were loved and cared for, and who loved and who cared for us, were ripped from their final resting places and forced to attack us, in our homes and in our beds. This is not the peaceful afterlife they were promised.  
George Cartier-Hughes, Victus MP for Rochester and Strood, is absolutely right when he tells us that our first mistake was thinking that the First Rising was the only Rising, or even the Right Rising. The discussion about whether the cull of PDS-sufferers is humane or inhumane is, in my opinion, the wrong discussion and those doctors in Norfolk should have been stopped in their tracks, long before the ethical issues of humanity were raised.  
\--  
  
 **no party like an undead party** @pdsismyunlife - 2h  
the only good thing abt victus is that it has destroyed ukip. #fmudl

  


\--

**DR FRANKENSTEIN’S BLOG**

01.02.2013  
When you love someone, you have to set them free  
You can’t just keep them in restraints and flayed and needing  
You have to breathe life back into them  
And open their cage  
And know that they worship you 


End file.
